Devices for dispensing deodorant into an air stream air stream are known to those skilled in the art. Thus, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,807,893 of Morey discloses a a dispenser 15 mounted in a clothes dryer. The dispenser is comprised of a container filled with deodorizing volatile liquid. When the clothes dryer is in operation, air generated by a blower in the dryer contacts the dispenser and volatilizes a portion of the liquid.
A somewhat similar system was described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,415 of Bryson. The Bryson patent discloses a portable dispenser 11 containing a basket 51 and posts 57 which, in combination, retain between them a series of envelopes 61 which contain an odorant to be dispensed. Air flowing past the envelopes 61 causes the volatilization of the odorant.
Another similar system was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,377 of Thomas W. Crafton. The device of the Crafton patent is a hot air hand dryer containing a container mounted in the intake grill; the container included openings allowing air flow through it. A stick or disk of vaporizable deodorant was disposed within the container, and the air flow through it caused vaporization of odorant.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,584 discloses a building air vent assembly containing a vent opening, a damper plate, a trough with an open side for receiving deodorant, and a deodorant sheet within such trough. When air flows through the vent, it passes over the deodorant sheet in the trough and partially vaporizes it.
To the best of applicant's knowledge, none of the prior art devices affords the user the flexibility of readily dispensing the amount of deodorant he or she desires only when so desired. The devices of U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,807,893, 4,383,377, and 4,903,584 function automatically when air is flowing through them and are not subject to a substantial amount of control and adjustment by a user. The device of U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,415 utilizes a deodorizing package which, to the best of applicant's knowledge, is not readily commercially available.
It is an object of this invention to provide a deodorizing system which utilizes volatile deodorant liquid.
It is another object of this invention to provide a deodorizing system which can be manually activated at any time, and to any extent desired, by a user.
It is another object of this invention to provide a deodorizing system which contains means for activating the system at one or more specified periods of time.